Event LAX96LA064

Factual narrative

On December 5, 1995, at 1230 hours Hawaiian standard time, an Emroth Emair MA-1B, N88899, collided with the terrain while landing at the Upper Paauau Airstrip (HI29), Pahala, Hawaii. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certificated commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by Murray Air, LTD, Honolulu, Hawaii, as an aerial application flight under 14 CFR Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot indicated the wind shifted during landing and he lost directional control. The airplane drifted off the airstrip during the landing roll and rolled down an embankment. The left main landing gear then broke and the airplane nosed over. The pilot also indicated the orientation of the runway during the landing was about 060 degrees. The airstrip is about 1,965 feet long and 40 feet wide. The elevation of the airstrip is listed at 2,600 feet above mean sea level. The pilot indicated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane before the accident. THE PILOT INDICATED THE WIND SHIFTED DURING LANDING AND HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED OFF THE AIRSTRIP DURING THE LANDING ROLL AND ROLLED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR THEN BROKE AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE AIRSTRIP IS ABOUT 1,965 FEET LONG AND 40 FEET WIDE. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED WITH THE AIRPLANE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12